as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a small tussle on the basketball court was quickly broken up
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to wrestle
to seize and attempt to unbalance one another for the purpose of achieving physical mastery
puppies tussling with one another, rolling over and over on the carpet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tussle
David Close, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
Beyond that, Neto is too small and slight to retain the ball in a physical tussle with bigger opposition centre-backs, meaning Chelsea can lack a viable outlet when teams force them into longer passes or clearances out of defence.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 14 May 2025
W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Fans started tussling on Thursday, the first night of the Cowboy Carter Tour‘s six-show stop at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Noun
The second set was just as much of an even tussle, the pair trading breaks in back-to-back games as the pressure started to mount on Alcaraz.
—David Close, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
Beyond that, Neto is too small and slight to retain the ball in a physical tussle with bigger opposition centre-backs, meaning Chelsea can lack a viable outlet when teams force them into longer passes or clearances out of defence.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Verb
These issues cost the Democrats in last year’s elections and Newsom is pushing the party to the left of positions many of its candidates took during that campaign.
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) tussled with security after trying to interrupt remarks by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Fans started tussling on Thursday, the first night of the Cowboy Carter Tour‘s six-show stop at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tussle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tussle
Noun
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President Donald Trump broke his silence one day after reports of a clash between U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino about the release of a memo regarding Jeffrey Epstein, which prompted conservatives on social media to call for the president to fire her.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
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Steve Garcia When the betting odds were first published for the Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia featherweight clash, Garcia was listed as a -140 betting favorite over the +115 Kattar.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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The city, county and state all recently wrestled with deficits and the federal government has been both slashing its workforce and attempting to reduce the size of health care programs like Medicaid.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 July 2025
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In a recent interview, the WWE Hall of Famer opened up about his motivations for continuing to wrestle and his thoughts on retirement.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Noun
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Yet Villa were short of cash and the lack of financial headroom brought skirmishes with profit and sustainability rules (PSR).—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
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Could a Stronger Federal System Have Prevented the Texas Disaster and is this even the question to ask? America’s approach to disaster relief has long been one of the recurring skirmishes in the larger political theatre of governance.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Verb
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Others point out the irony that, as the government fixated on enforcing the veiling law and cracking down on political dissidents under the pretext of fighting foreign subversion, its actual adversaries were quietly infiltrating its most sensitive institutions.—
MOHAMMAD AYATOLLAHI TABAAR,
Foreign Affairs,
8 July 2025
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The team is also fighting injuries within the starting rotation.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Noun
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The battle will continue as Trump has blasted the mainstream media for years and signed an executive order to cut federal funding for National Public Radio and PBS, said U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
7 July 2025
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Potter faces a battle to restore optimism among the fanbase.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
Noun
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Javier Hernandez, executive director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, told The Associated Press that agents eventually arrested the Honduran man following the struggle inside the clinic that was captured on video.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
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Rivera fired his Taser at Feliz, then got into the car on the passenger’s side and threatened to shoot Rivera as a physical struggle ensued, according to body camera footage, as another officer attempted to yank Feliz out of the vehicle.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tussle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tussle. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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